Saturday Blitz
Fansided

College Football: 10 toughest paths to the playoffs in 2016

By Michael Collins

Jan 8, 2016; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Clemson Tigers garden gnome signed by Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney sits on the College Football Playoff National Championship logo at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2016; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Clemson Tigers garden gnome signed by Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney sits on the College Football Playoff National Championship logo at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 12
Next
Nov 21, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers offensive linemen Dorian Johnson (53) Brian O'Neill (70) celebrate with fullback George Aston (35) after Aston scored a four yard touchdown against the Louisville Cardinals during the second quarter at Heinz Field. PITT won 45-34. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 21, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers offensive linemen Dorian Johnson (53) Brian O’Neill (70) celebrate with fullback George Aston (35) after Aston scored a four yard touchdown against the Louisville Cardinals during the second quarter at Heinz Field. PITT won 45-34. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 10: Pitt Panthers

Home Games: Villanova, Penn State, Marshall, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Duke
Away Games: Oklahoma State, North Carolina, Virginia, Miami, Clemson
FCS Opponents: 1 (Villanova)

While Pitt is certainly a dark horse team to make the playoffs under any circumstances, you have to love the season they put together in 2015, and they are looked at as one of the favorites to win the ACC coastal.

Winning that division may be in their grasp, but making the playoffs is going to take a herculean effort on the part of the Panthers. Their away schedule is simply brutal, and they’ll need to pull off probable upsets against Oklahoma State and Clemson away from their home stadium to really have a legitimate shot at making the final four.

They also have another tough non-conference game against Penn State, and a conference slate that hits pretty much every good team in the ACC besides Florida State.

Pitt may take further steps to being national power again this season, but making the playoffs will be very difficult.

Next: BYU Cougars

Home/Alabama Crimson Tide